Ecuador is crying foul before their World Cup knockout stage match against Mexico has even begun.
On Monday night, an estimated crowd of 1,000 Mexican fans congregated outside the hotel housing their Ecuadorian opponents in Santa Fe, near Mexico City, and regaled their foe with a boisterous display of loud music and incessant chanting, to ensure their opponents did not get a pleasant night’s sleep.
This did not sit well with Ecuador’s Football Federation (FEF), which, on Tuesday, filed a formal complaint with FIFA World Cup organizers.
“This conduct is far removed from the principles of fair play, equality, and unity that a football World Cup should represent,” the FEF said in a statement.
The statement called on authorities to pay greater attention to such incidents and protect Ecuador’s players, coaching staff, and fans.
“We trust that these unsporting acts will not tarnish the football celebration that unites two brotherly countries,” the FEF said, adding that Ecuador would “always respond on the pitch.”
Mexico takes on Ecuador at Estadio Azteca on Tuesday.